


SMOKE & SMILES

by OnlyOneWoman



Series: Neighbours & Flatmates [1]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Body Image, Comfort/Angst, Confusion, Escort Service, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Father-Son Relationship, Foster Care, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Homophobia, Love, M/M, Multi, Neighbors, Physical Abuse, Religious Fanaticism, Shyness, Social Anxiety, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 16:21:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7648048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyOneWoman/pseuds/OnlyOneWoman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the first part of a new piece with A LOT of Black Sails characters in modern time. I have some chapters done already, but I'm really not sure how it will end up. Some characters will be closer to the real Black Sails personalities, while I've taken some liberties with others. We will get to know florists, religious nuts, university teachers and a psychologist living in the same house in Southampton. Some characters will be blood relatives, some will be lovers, a lot of them are neighbours and even though Billy Bones is the main character, there will be a lot of side stories to his.</p><p>At the moment, I plan on three or maybe four parts of this story, with "Smoke & Smiles" as the first. I'm not yet clear with all the relationships - some of them have confused feelings - so we'll just see where it goes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Morning Coffee (Saturday Morning)

Late again. Ben cursed when he simultaniously tried to dress and brush his teeth. Why did people have to shop groceries on weekends? Couldn’t they just buy pizza?  
  
”Ben!”  
”Mhm?”  
  
Ben answered with a mouth full of toothpaste as Billy showed up in the doorway.  
  
”I put a sandwich in your bag.”  
  
Ben rinseled his mouth and put the other sock on, jumping to the door on one leg.  
  
”Thanks, Billy. You’re a darling.”  
”When are you off?”  
”About two. Shit, I have to run!”  
  
He collected his bag, his jacket and tied one of his shoes befor opening the door. Billy ran after him.  
  
”Hey! The other shoe lace!”  
”Oh, fuck! Thank you.”  
  
Ben bent down to tie the other shoe and then ran like a clumsy squirrel down the stairs, screaming:  
  
”See you tonight!”  
”Watch out for…”  
  
The outdoor closed and Billy ran to the kitchen window, watching his flatmate jumping on his bike and pedalling like his life depended on it, hair flitting around his head. Billy shook his head. Ben had more lives than a cat.  
  
A sudden bang, a crash and a line of curses caught his attention. Billy realised he’d forgotten to close the door to their apartment and he went to see who the unfamiliar voice belonged to.  
  
”Fucking cunt!”  
  
At the bottom of the stair, a raggedly head was bent over a box, wich items were scattered on the floor. Billy quickly put jeans and a t-shirt on and went out in the stairwell.  
  
”Hey there. You’re alright?”  
  
The head lifted and a tanned face with blue eyes and an ironic little smile looked straight at him.  
  
”Well, aside from having a fucking cunt running into mig, crushing my best coffee cup and almost slamming the door in my face, I’m just fine.”  
”His name’s Ben and he’s… um…”  
”A cunt?”  
”My clumsy flatmate. He was late for work.”  
”I hope he’s working with pillows or stones or something else you can’t crush.”  
”Are you visiting someone here?”  
  
The man pointed at the box.  
  
”Myself. I’m your new neighbour, but quite frankly I’m starting to regret moving here. This was my last box and of course it had to be the fucking china.”  
”Don’t judge the whole house just because my flatmate cant look and run at the same time. You want some coffee? We have cups. My name’s Billy, by the way.”  
  
The responding smile could easily have outshined the sun and Billy felt his ears getting warm. The new neighbour took the box, went up the stair and reached out a hand.  
  
”Well, my name’s John Silver, and I happen to be a real coffee junkie.”  
  
***  
  
”Quite nice place you have.”  
”Thanks. Milk and sugar?”  
”Yes, please.”  
”We have glue, by the way.”  
”Huh?”  
”To fix your cup. I hope he didn’t crush it completely.”  
  
John Silver gripped the coffee with two hands and took a sip.  
  
”Ah… a little piece of heaven… Note to self: never move into a new place before your morning coffee.”  
”I didn’t know we were about to have a new neighbour.”  
”Well, it wasn’t actually planned. Have been in the housing queue for years and then suddenly this Guthrie woman called, telling me two families just before me in line didn’t want the place and that it was mine if I could move in with short notice. This coffee is really good, by the way.”  
  
The man closed his dreamy eyes and smiled widely while enjoying the caffein boost. Billy couldn’t help but studying him a little. He was at least seven inches shorter than Billy, with a slight figure and the tanned face was surrounded by a cascade of dark, brown curles. The content smile showed white teeth, dimples and the eyes had a little grey in the blue iris. He had a shirt with blue stripes, at least two sizes too big for him, with arms constantly sliding down and scrawny legs in ragged jeans that disappeared in brown, worn out Converse shoes.  
  
Realising he was looking a bit too much, Billy quickly took a sip of his coffee.  
  
”Where are you from?”  
”Glenelg Australia, but I’ve lived in Newcastle the last five years. Terrible weather, don’t recommend it. You?”  
”Moira, a small town in Leicestershire. Doubt you’ve heard about it.”  
”You do sound british, thou.”  
”Not too bad, I hope?”  
”At least I understand you. Had a roomie back in Newcastle from Lisburn and I swear he tried to speak with more accent just to piss me off. No offence, maybe you have family in Northen Ireland, but I can’t stand people who deliberately make a big deal about their origin. I mean, it’s not like we chose where to be born, so why take pride in something you achieved by accident?”  
  
Billy smiled. It was almost something intoxicating about this blabbering guy with feet dangling from the high chair like a kid.  
  
”So, what brought you to Southampton?”  
”The love of my life. Just kidding, it’s work. But I guess some people are weird enough to fall in love with their jobs. I’m a care worker, actually.”  
”A nurse?”  
”God no! Could never handle those awful needles and the blood… yikes! No, I’m a personal assistent, you know, taking care of people with daily routines and stuff.”  
”Oh. You like it?”  
  
John shrugged.  
  
”It’s not too shitty and if you work nights you make a little more money. What do you do for a living?”  
”I’m a silversmith.”  
”No way!”  
  
Billy laughed at the stunned face. John looked like a mix between a child and a puppy.  
  
”You’re not the first to react like that.”  
”Well, if you’d said blacksmith I would be less surprised.”  
  
The knowing look that shamelessly slid across his arms didn’t escape him and he blushed. John threw a curious little smile.  
  
”You make like wedding rings and necklaces and stuff?”  
”Yeah.”  
”But you’re not wearing silver yourself?”  
  
John pointed at the five necklaces and at least as many bracelets Billy wore.  
  
”No, it’s leather and cheap pearls.”  
”Then you’re not exactly a living commercial for your job, but I bet you have _a lot_ of women coming to your shop.”  
”I don’t have a shop, thank God. I have a smithy and delivers.”  
”Not much of a people person?”  
”Not really.”  
”What about your boyfriend?”  
”Sorry?”  
”The human thunderstorm in the stairs.”  
”Ben? We’re not a couple, just flatmates. And he’s not a cunt.”  
”Yeah… Guess I should appologies. But on the other hand, I don’t think he heard me.”  
  
Billy smiled friendly.  
  
”He’s like the nicest guy ever.”  
  
John swallowed the last of his coffee, suddenly looking a little bit nervous.  
  
”I’d better get on with my stuff. Thanks for the coffee, it saved my day, actually.”  
”My pleasure. You need any help?”  
”Thank you, I’ll manage. Don’t have much stuff, I only end up misplacing everything.”  
”Alright. You want some glue, by the way? For the cup.”  
”That would be nice.”  
  
John rose and put the used cup in the sink, drew fingers through his hair and gave Billy another snow melting smile.  
  
”Thanks again. You make really nice coffee.”  



	2. A Whole Lotta’ Food (Saturday Night)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the first part of a new piece with A LOT of Black Sails characters in modern time. I have some chapters done already, but I'm really not sure how it will end up. Some characters will be closer to the real Black Sails personalities, while I've taken some liberties with others. We will get to know florists, religious nuts, university teachers and a psychologist living in the same house in Southampton. Some characters will be blood relatives, some will be lovers, a lot of them are neighbours and even though Billy Bones is the main character, there will be a lot of side stories to his.
> 
> At the moment, I plan on three or maybe four parts of this story, with "Smoke & Smiles" as the first. I'm not yet clear with all the relationships - some of them have confused feelings - so we'll just see where it goes.

”I told you about the study group, Abigail.”  
”But not that you expected _me_ to attend.”  
”It will be fun. There are so many nice people of your age and they have really good time together.”  
”Mom, no. I’m nineteen and you can’t force me to church anymore.”  
  
Mrs. Hudson pursed as she always did when her only daughter didn’t agree with her.  
  
”I’m not forcing you, Abigail, I’m caring. It’s not _every_ girl that has a mother who cares and Claire and Mary are really looking forward to this. Now they will be disappointed.”  
”Maybe you should’ve thought about that _before_ you said I would come?”  
  
Abigail hated this and the thought of being at home with her mother was almost as boring as going to church.  
  
”Oh, hi Abby! Mrs. Hudson.”  
”Hi, Ben!”  
  
They had some weird neighbors, but Ben Gunn was a little treasure. The clumsy, cunfused shop assistent had some of the most innocent eyes Abigail had ever seen and unlike his quite restrained flatmate, he was a light talker.  He was carrying a bag of groceries and didn’t seem to care about Mrs. Hudson’s lack of polite resonse. Instead he smiled and looked at Abigail.  
  
”You have no idea what came with the mail today.”  
”What?”  
”Golden Axe.”  
”You’re fucking kidding me! You won the auction?”  
”Abigail!”  
  
Yes, she cursed, oh how terrible, but she just rose her eyebrows and watchted Ben trying to hold his laughter.  
  
”Game night tonight, then?”  
”You bet!”  
”Abigail, I thought we’d agreed upon you going to church tonight?”  
”No, mom. You agreed, I didn’t.”  
  
She turned to Ben again.  
  
”About eight? I bring popcorn.”  
”Perfect! See you later, then.”  
  
***  
  
Being Charles Vane had it’s good sides. At least looking and sounding like Charles Vane was a benefit. He wasn’t very tall, but more well-built than most men he knew, and his husky voice, dark eyes and long hair certainly made both men and women look. The problem was, _being_ Charles Vane wasn’t always very fun and people never seemed to understand that.  
  
Charles sat at the balcony. He was very lucky to have this particular apartment, with just enough sun in fine days to keep a little balcony garden in the summers. The smell from tomatos, thyme, rosemary and lemon balm made the absence of a real garden almost barable. Actually, he shouldn’t complain at all. His work allowed him to be surrounded with flowers all day long and _Flower Rangers_ was one of the most popular flower shops in town. Part of that was, of course, the shop keeper, but the fact was Vane had very green fingers and decent prices. And it was much easier to be social with people at work than on ones sparetime.  
  
The little herb garden, the cool ale and a railing to put your feet on after a week at work, was all the luxuary Charles needed right now. Peace and quite, late afternoon sun and the smell of herbs and… smoke?  
  
What the hell? Charles rose and took to the kitchen. Did he forget to turn the heat off? No. It came from the stairs and he opened the door, just to draw back with a cough.  
  
”What the fuck is going on here?!”  
  
The sharp voice somehow always made him a little loose in his knees. Eleanor Guthries door had swung open and she stood there, looking like a blonde fury with her work outfit – an expensive and very nice suit – still on. She looked at him and he put his hands up.  
  
”It’s not from my place.”  
”I realise that, because if it did it would smell more like roasted flowers and less of burning corpses.”  
”Who is burning down the house?”  
  
Another voice, just as annoyed as Eleanors. James Flint, of course. Charles sometimes believed his blond landlord and his ginger neighbour were paid for sounding constantly irritated. But this time he could hardly fault them for that. It smelled horrible. James sniffed.  
  
”I think it’s from upstairs.”  
  
Charles frowned.  
  
”Billy and Ben? No, they’re always careful.”  
”Well, we have a knew neighbour since this morning. A John Silver that apparently is trying to burn down the house.”  
  
Eleanor practically rushed upstairs and ringed multiple times on the door bell. When the door opened, the smell had her back. The man appearing in the doorway smiled cautiously.  
  
”Well, good evening miss Guthrie.”  
”What the fuck are you doing?”  
”Cooking…? Sorta.”  
  
Eleanor snorted.  
  
”Committing a crime is more like it. Burning bodies to cover up a murder, perhaps?”  
”Oh, come on, it’s just chicken! You’re not a militant vegan, are you?”  
  
James coughed from below, shouting:  
  
”You managed to make chicken smell like that? What’s wrong with you?”  
”Nice to meet you too, mr…?”  
”James Flint.”  
”Mr. Flint. And by the way, miss Guthrie, nothing is on fire so you can all relax. I have only ruined _my_ dinner.”  
  
Eleanor just shook her head.  
  
”Next time, read the oven instructions.”  
  
Charles closed his door and muttered to himself:  
  
”Next time, order a fucking pizza.”  
  
***  
  
The smell of smoke hadn’t yet disappeared when Billy came home. He was in a good mood. Since the meeting with the new neighbor, he’d spent some hours down the smithy to finish a locker with a tree ornament. The costumer happened to be another neighbor, which was the first time. Joji Chong, partly Chinese, partly South African, had lived in the house for at least fifteen years, but he wasn’t very social so you rarely saw him chatter in the stair case. Billy’d been quite surprised when the man came to the shop to make an order.   
  
The top floor smelled worse and Billy first thought about calling on this John Silver to ask about it, but since it smelled like popcorn from his and Ben’s apartment and he was tired, he decided not to knock on that door. He stepped inside his own home.  
  
”Hello!”  
”Hi, Billy!”  
”Hello, sweetheart!”  
”Why do you call him that?”  
”Because he’s a sweetheart, of course.”  
  
Billy smiled at Ben’s endearments. Apparently, Abigail was with him, wondering why one would call his flatmate sweetheart. Billy kicked off his shoes and went to the living room where Ben and Abigail were about to kick each others high scores on Golden Axe.  
  
”Is that your dinner?”  
”Nah, I thought I could make tacos. With soya mince, of course.”  
”When will you get over that? It happened once!”  
”And I went really sick.”  
  
Abigail lost her round and cursed.  
  
”Fuck! What’s this talk about soya mince?”  
”Oh, just that when Billy made tacos, he kind of forgot to check the mince first and it was _really_ bad.”  
  
Billy rolled his eyes.  
  
”Yeah, and how many times before that did I make perfectly eatable mince, huh? By the way, what was that smell in the staircase?”  
”Oh, the new neighbour tried to cook. At least that’s what Vane said when I met him. He was so upset.”  
”Afraid his plants would wither?”  
”Literally anything could wither from that smell. Maybe we should invite him to dinner.”  
”Who? Vane?”  
”No, sweetheart. The new neighbour. Silver, right?”  
”Yeah, maybe. At least that veggie meat of yours is eatable.”  
  
Ben threw a handful of popcorn at him.  
  
”Just invite him! Abby, you’re staying too, right?”  
”I’d love to. Otherwise I have to listen to mom preaching all night.”  
”That’s settled then. Billy, sweetheart, invite that smoking hot curlyhead pronto.”  
  
Both Billy and Abigail sighed at the bad joke, but then Billy simply went back to the staircase and knocked on John Silver’s door. Running steps, a little bounce and a loud ”shit” could be heard through the door before the lock twitched and the ragged head showed up.  
  
”Why, hello… Billy. Right?”  
”That’s right. We were just wondering if you’d like to eat with us tonight?”  
”Oh… Well, that’d be… I just…”  
  
Silver clearly didn’t expect company. He looked a little confused, as if being invited to dinner was a new thing to him. Billy smiled.  
  
”It’s just tacos and Abigail is coming too. She’s another neightbor and a friend of Ben’s. Right now I think they’re throwing popcorn and killing each other over some stupid tv game.”  
  
That did the trick. The dashing smiled he’d seen in the morning appeared in an instance and – dammit – he blushed.  
  
”Do I have to behave?”  
  
Billy laughed.  
  
”Why? Are you usually rude?”  
”Depends who’s asking. I’m not really a family dinner person.”  
”Well, this is a flatmate-friend-new neigbour dinner and we eat by the telly. Are you a vegetarian?”  
”Um… no.”  
”If you were, we have veggie meat stuff. Ben eats it for some reason. He’s not even a vegetarian.”  
  
John looked as if he hesitated, like it was a big deal. He bit his lip.  
  
”Thanks, I’d love to. But only if I can pay you.”  
”You can help with the dishes, if you insist.”  
”I do.”  
  
***  
  
”Fuck.”  
”What?”  
  
Ben looked at Billy, who tried to check his cell and set the table – with a little help from John – at the same time. Billy frowned.  
  
”Hal called and I missed it. Now he thinks I’m avoiding him.”  
”Just call him then.”

Billy went to the kitchen and called. His dad, or to be more correct: adoptive dad, had the irritating habit of letting it ring only two or three signals before hanging up, so it was almost impossible to answer in time.    
  
”Gates?”  
”Hi, it’s Billy.”  
”I tried to call you earlier.”  
”I was working and didn’t hear the phone. How are you?”  
”Me? I’m fine. Have been working on a real beauty this week and I’m off with the Andromache Tuesday morning.”  
”Nice. We’re having dinner with some neighbors. Abigail, you know and a new guy who just moved in here.”  
”Have you asked her out yet?”  
”Dad, please don’t start that again…”  
”Alright, alright, I just…”  
”Just. _Don’t_. I promise, you’d be the know if I don’t want to suck cock anymore.”  
”Jesus, Billy! I don’t want to hear!”  
”And I don’t want to hear about chicks, so now we’re even.”  
”Look, I’m sorry, it’s non of my business.”  
”No, it’s not.”  
”I was actually calling to see if we could meet on Monday. It’s been a while and I’ll be gone for two weeks.”  
”Dinner?”  
”If it’s alright with you. The usual place about seven?”  
”Uh-huh. That’l be fine.”  
”Good. See you on Monday then and have a nice evening.”  
”You too. Bye.”  
”Bye.”  
  
”You call your dad Hal?”  
  
Billy turned around and almost dropped the phone. Dark curls, blue eyes. A cautious smile.  
  
”Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just getting some water.”  
”I was just… He’s off to sea again.”  
”Fisher?”  
”Boat builder, actually. But he’s at sea most weekends.”  
”You’re going with him?”  
  
Slight hands filling the glass, drinking… _Don’t fucking stare at him!_  
  
”No, I don’t like the sea, really.”  
”Me neither. It’s just too big. It can’t be natural.”  
  
The smile, teasing this time. Ben saving him by coming to the kitchen, grabbing the two frying pans.  
  
”Are you two just going to stand there? In that case: Abby!”  
”Yeah?”  
”Looks like Billy and John aren’t hungry, so we’ll get some night gaming snack for later.”  
  
Billy kicked him light in the butt.  
  
”Keep dreaming!”  
  
***  
  
”This was delicious.”  
”Thanks. You want some more?”  
”No, thanks. I’m full. Have to think about my figure, you know.”  
  
John patted his very flat stomach and grinned. Abigail grabbed her round, soft belly.  
  
”I’m also thinking about my figure and I figure it’s round.”  
  
Ben laughed and so did Abigail. Billy just shook his head and looked at John.  
  
”You see what I have to put up with? Should have a fucking medal for not killing them.”  
  
Abigail leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
”You’re the silversmith so I’m afraid you have to make your own medal.”  
  
Ben pouted and fluttered his eyelashes.  
  
”Or we could by you one made of chocolate, sweetheart. Would you like that?”  
”I hate you both.”  
  
John seemed amused by their little bickering. He sat on the floor now, legs tucked to his chest and chin resting on the scrawny knees. Thin hands. Nervous hands, Billy thought, before realising he was looking again. John must have noticed it too, but he didn’t seem at all uncomfortable with that. Of course, he must know he was handsome and used to be lionized. Billy bit his lip.  
  
”Coffee anyone? John?”  
”Only if it’s as good as it was this morning.”  
”Billy make delicious coffee.”  
  
Ben collected the plates.  
  
”I noticed that…”  
  
The smile again. Teasing. Almost defiant. And honestly, Billy wasn’t sure he liked it.

**Author's Note:**

> The "Neighbours & Flatmates" series is divided in different parts instead of only chapters, to make it a little easier for me to sort all the different stories out. To be clear: every part is linked, they're posted in chronological timeline and they're not made to be read as separate stories.


End file.
